Snowshoes of one kind or another are used in all northern countries,
for they are a necessity to those who live in the snowy north, and
earn their living by outdoor work. Where or when they originated
would be hard to say, definitely, but since it is in America that
they have been perfected and were used by the Indians when this
country was first visited by white men, it seems reasonable that the
snowshoe is an invention of the early North American savages, and
probably was first used many thousands of years ago.
The snowshoe is copied from one of Mother Nature's many unpatented
inventions. She is the inventor of the snowshoe, for she gave this
gift to many of the northern animals, for instance the marten, the
snowshoe rabbit, and even the caribou. The marten and the rabbit have
large heavily furred feet, especially large and furry during the
winter, and because these feet cover a large area of snow in
proportion to the animals' weight, they support their owners where
animals unprovided with a "snowshoe" would sink, and would have great
difficulty in traveling. The caribou has a highly split foot of large
size; its spreads gives down under the animal's weight until the dew
claws also help in supporting it, and thus cover so much surface that
this big deer can walk on a snow crust that would not carry a man.
As a further illustration of nature's use of the snowshoe principle,
compare the foot of a Canada lynx with that of a bobcat or bay lynx.
The former animal, meant for an existence in the North and the high
altitudes where deep snows prevail, has a very large, furry paw that
supports the animal wonderfully on the loose snow, whereas the more
southern wildcat, a very closely related species, has a foot
relatively small and with shorter fur. The snowshoe therefore was
merely copied from nature by mankind and no doubt it was a study of
the natural animal snowshoe that gave the early-day savage the great
idea and set him to work on a scheme by which he could increase the
size of his feet in a convenient and practical manner, and thus be
able to walk on the snow instead of wading through it.
Whatever may have been the style of the first snowshoes or the
material used in them, the first white visitors to the American
continent found the Indians using snowshoes with frames of wood,
strung with rawhide, in fact, exactly the same as are being used
to-day. While the white men may have sought to improve on materials
and general form, it is certain that they could find nothing better
or even as good, for the Indians' snowshoe was adopted and is being
used in its original form to-day where serious use is required.
Snowshoes are often modified in form for the use of the white people
in and near the settlements, but for the rough, wild country the
Indians' snowshoes cannot be surpassed, unless it be in the selection
of materials and in workmanship.
[Illustration: BEAR PAW SNOWSHOES.]
Everybody knows that snow is not always of the same nature. The
character of the snow depends on weather conditions. Cold weather
causes it to remain loose and fluffy; warm days and cold nights
settle the snow and form a crust, while during midday it becomes wet
and packy; wind following a snowstorm makes drifts of more or less
solidity. These are all very different conditions of snow and a
snowshoe that is perfect in form for one kind of travel or one kind
of snow cannot be perfect for another, although it may answer for all
kinds of use. In widely separated districts the prevailing weather
conditions may cause one or another condition of snow to predominate
the season through, and as a consequence the proper snowshoes to use
in any particular place are the ones adapted to the prevailing snow
conditions. Likewise the nature of the country with respect to
surface and vegetation greatly influence the styles of snowshoes.
The sporting goods catalogues show snowshoes of very different forms
and proportions, and the extreme conditions, not for general use. But
the catalogues seldom give any information on this subject that will
aid the tyro in selecting snowshoes adapted to his use, and if
uninformed on the subject he is all at sea.
Long, narrow snowshoes are used for fast travel in open, fairly level
country. In general, they are not good on rough ground, in brushy
districts, or where the snow does not fall to a good depth. If the
toes are turned up somewhat and more or less pointed they are better
for travel in loose, powdery snow. But the upturned toes render the
shoes worthless for hill climbing, as the frames will not take a grip
on the snow, while on hard trails or crusted snow, such as we
sometimes find on the frozen lakes, they make the wearer's feet sore
through lack of spring in the frames.
The most perfect type of snowshoes for general use is that shown in
figure five. It has the average dimensions and proportions, all
extremes being avoided. It measures about 44 inches in length by 14
inches in width at the widest place, and this is the proper size for
the average person and general conditions. A heavy man, if of average
height, or taller, can use larger shoes to advantage, while for a
smaller and lighter man slightly smaller snowshoes are better
adapted. The toe is round and flat. It slips easily through the
brush, takes a good grip on the hard snow of the hillsides and covers
enough snow to keep it up near the surface while the narrow heel cuts
down. The tail is short, which adapts the shoe better for turning in
brushy places and reduces liability of breakage when crossing logs.
The stringing, it will be noted, is heavy and coarse, which makes the
shoe better for damp, sticky snow. A fine mesh filling is all right
where the snow is always in a loose, dry condition, but when the snow
becomes packy it closes up on the web and makes continuous trouble.
The ends are filled with a finer material, for here the stringing is
subject to less strain.
[Illustration: NORTHERN SNOWSHOES.]
The Indians of Canada frequently fill the heel and toe of their
snowshoes with fine twine instead of rawhide. This material wears
much better than would be expected, providing the snow is deep and
the snags well covered, as they are up there in winter. But a twine
filling is not nearly as good as rawhide and is used only because it
is a more convenient material.
Many kinds of raw skins are used for filling snowshoes, but there is
nothing better than cowhide. Horsehide is said to wear very well.
Calfskin is a good material for stringing light shoes, for use on
broken trails or for women and children. Moose and caribou skin are
much used in the North, but are not as durable as cowhide. Except
that the hair is removed from the hide it undergoes no other
preparation for snowshoe filling, no oiling nor tanning being
permissible.
In the frames also various kinds of wood are used, this depending
partly on the woods obtainable where the snowshoes are made. A tough,
light wood is required. White men usually make use of white ash, a
very good material for the purpose. Black ash is also used, but is a
poor wood for snowshoe frames. The Canadian Indians use white and
yellow birch, both very good if good judgment is used in selecting
the trees. In the far Northwest snowshoe frames are sometimes made of
spruce, while in the West service wood is frequently employed. There
are many other woods that will answer very well.
In the illustration are shown two patterns of long, narrow snowshoes.
One has a pointed, upturned toe, the frame being made in two pieces,
fastened together with rawhide at heel and toe. This style of shoe I
think originated in Northwestern Canada, anyway it is used there by
Indians and whites alike. Snowshoes of this pattern are usually made
five feet long and 12 inches wide. The toe curves up seven or eight
inches and the length from the toe cords on which the wearer's foot
rests to the point of the upturned toe must exceed the length from
the ball of his foot to his knee; if it is not so, the toe of the
snowshoe will strike his knee when he lifts his foot.
The other long pattern is a style used in Alaska and Yukon. It is so
shaped that it gives the maximum of surface covering qualities for a
shoe of that length and a practical width. The stringing is very open
and is put into the frame by a peculiar system, quite unlike that
used in other snowshoes. This is an excellent snowshoe for fast
travel in deep, loose snow.
[Illustration: A SNOWSHOE OF STANDARD SHAPE.]
Very short snowshoes made without tails are known as the "bearpaw"
pattern. I have shown two of these. The one made without crossbars is
used by the Indians of Washington. It is a very simple, easily made
snowshoe, and is especially useful in the rough, brushy ground. It
works nicely in the mountains of Pennsylvania and is probably as good
for use in that place as in the Northwest. The other bearpaw shoe
illustrated is a style that originated in the Adirondack Mountains.
It was designed for the use of the spruce gum hunters, its short
length making it a perfect snowshoe for use in gumming, walking
around trees, turning and zigzagging here and there. This pattern is
one of the best for very brushy ground, where rocks and fallen trees
abound, and it is the best shape for use in the North when the first
snows come and the small underbrush, snags, rocks and logs are not
yet deeply buried. A pair of snowshoes like this may be carried in a
packsack if the trapper is making a journey over his line when the
first deep snow is due, and he will not then be caught without
snowshoes when a day's journey or two from camp. This has happened to
me, so I can now see the importance of carrying a pair of snowshoes
at that time.
Snowshoes of all types have an opening in the forward part of the
central section through which the wearer's toes move as he walks. At
the rear edge of this opening are the toe cords, a bunch of five or
six strands of rawhide, and when in use this part is beneath the ball
of the foot. A toe-strap passes over the foot at this point. There is
always some other form of fastening used, but this may be anything
from the Indian's hitch of soft caribou skin or lamp wicking to the
harness leather fastening of the white man, which buckles across the
instep and above the heel. In all cases the fastening must pass
around the foot above the heel, for it is this strap that supports
the weight of the snowshoe as the foot is lifted; it is moved forward
by the toe strap, and this piece also holds the foot in place on the
shoe.
The Indian's method of tying a snowshoe to the foot has some
advantages over the white man's harness fastening, but in other ways
it is imperfect. The principal advantage is that the fastening need
not be opened for removing the snowshoes or attaching it. I have used
snowshoes a week at a time without opening the knot. A simple twist
of the foot with bended knee will serve to free the snowshoe from the
foot and it is just as easily replaced. But it does not hold the shoe
as rigidly with respect to side motion as the strap and buckle
adopted by white men generally, and I think it is more likely to
cause soreness of the feet. The harness shown is one of the best
styles and is easily made and adjusted.
For snowshoeing in Northern districts, where the weather is cold all
through the winter and the snow remains in a loose, dry condition,
buckskin moccasins are the best footwear. By this I mean moccasins of
any kind of deerskin, tanned by the Indian method. Such moccasins are
not waterproof, but that makes little difference, for the dry snow
never makes wet feet. Buckskin is soft and light and if the moccasins
are large, plenty of warm, woolen socks may be worn. For spring wear,
when the snow is more or less damp, or for use anywhere when the snow
is in this condition, oil tanned moccasins or rubber overshoes may be
worn. Rubber is somewhat hard on the filling of the snowshoes, but if
this is heavy and of good material it will stand a lot of wear.
Ordinary rubber shoes should not be worn, however, without first
removing the heels.
When walking the entire snowshoe is never lifted clear of the snow;
the tail always drags. It is easy to learn to use them. I walked 12
miles the first day I tried snowshoeing. My greatest trouble was in
keeping one shoe clear of the other, but this is soon learned. There
may also be trouble in learning to turn, especially in brushy places,
and in attempting to cross logs. When crossing a log the foot itself
must be placed on the log and the next step must be of sufficient
length for the snowshoe to clear it, or the foot must be turned
sideways.
To get satisfactory service from a pair of snowshoes necessitates
proper care. The wearer should always avoid walking over snags, or
little hummocks, which are certain indications of objects barely
covered and which may injure the web of the shoes. Do not step on a
place which will support one or both ends of the shoe solidly unless
the middle portion is also thus supported, for if the frames do not
break the strain they will be weakened and will sooner or later take
on a curved shape. Never step down from a high place with all of your
weight on the snowshoes, for the strain on filling and frame is
great.
Snowshoes require care, not only while in use, but at other times as
well. Being strung with rawhide, this material is very susceptible to
heat and moisture. If the shoes are not dried thoroughly after
becoming damp or wet the stringing will rot, while if dried too
rapidly the filling becomes brittle and breaks when put to a strain.
In camp snowshoes should be suspended from the ceiling by a wire, for
mice will eat the filling if they can reach them. Shoes should be
watched closely also for worn strands and when a string looks
dangerously weak the shoe should be repaired at once.
It cannot be expected that after the most exhaustive book study the
novice will know enough about snowshoes to discriminate between the
ordinary bad and those without fault. But there are points that if
kept in mind will aid greatly in selecting snowshoes that will not
only be desirable, but also satisfactory in regard to size,
proportions and pattern. The extreme styles, as already pointed out,
are not for the use of the beginner, for his snowshoeing is generally
of the regulation kind. The snowshoes which he should buy, and which
he will find in stock with most dealers, are more or less on the
lines of the pattern shown in figure 5. The standard size, or about
14x44 inches, will answer well in nearly all cases. If the country is
not too rough and hilly they may have the toes turned up an inch or
two, but otherwise they should be flat, as shown. It matters little
whether the toe be round, square or quite pointed, but it should be
rather large in area while the heel end should be narrow. The long
tail usually found on stock snowshoes is a nuisance and may as a rule
be cut off to advantage, for usually the balance of the snowshoe is
improved by so doing.
A snowshoe should almost balance when suspended midway between the
two cross-bars, the tail end being just a little the heavier. Very
few stock snowshoes are so made, most of them being too heavy in the
rear.
When buying snowshoes examine the frames with care, for if they are
not made of good, straight grained wood they are apt to break. The
wood should be heaviest at the sides and thinnest at the toe. There
must be no knots, cuts or other defects. Sometimes in bending the
frames the makers split slivers loose and afterwards glue them down,
so look carefully for such places.
The filling should be clear and yellow. It should be of almost equal
thickness and there should be no splices close to the frame or in the
centre. See that the thongs are thoroughly stretched, for poorly
stretched filling is sure to stretch and sag the first time the shoes
are used on damp snow. If the thongs do not run perfectly straight
across the shoe, reject it, for this is a sure sign of poorly
stretched filling.
What are sold as first-class snowshoes bring prices ranging roughly
from five to ten dollars per pair. Good snowshoes cannot be made and
sold at less than five dollars, and if they are large or have much
work about them they cannot be made for this price. I do not find any
material difference between snowshoes of Indian make and those made
by white men. The very best snowshoes I have ever found being made
for sale are those made by a friend of mine living in the
Adirondacks. He uses the best of material throughout and the
stringing alone used in a pair of his best shoes will cost him as
much as the price at which ordinary snowshoes are sold. The best
possible snowshoes are not available to many readers of this article
unless they have learned to make them, in which case they can use as
much care and as good material as desired.